BC Games alumni contribute to record-setting success at 2017 Canada Summer Games

Team BC had record setting success at the 2017 Canada Summer Games brining home 146 medals – the most Team BC has ever won at a Canada Games. Team BC was second in the medal count and second in flag points behind Team Ontario and ahead of Team Quebec.

The unprecedented success is certainly attributable to our strong provincial sport system and the work of Provincial Sport Organizations to provide high level coaching and competitive opportunities.

The BC Summer and Winter Games are also an important part of the development of athletes and are the first step for many to experience a multi-sport Games environment and where they find the drive and motivation to take their sport further.

Almost 50 percent Team BC was made up of BC Games alumni (170 athletes and 35 coaches) who drew upon their past provincial Games experience and applied it on the national stage where they won or contributed to 72 of Team BC’s 146 medals.

Chanell Botsis (Coquitlam) won three gold medals at the 2012 BC Summer Games and was chosen as the BC Games W.R. Bennett Award winner that year. At the 2017 Canada Summer Games she won a silver medal in hammer throw behind gold medalist teammate Kaila Butler (Port Coquitlam) also a BC Games alumna.

The Team BC triathletes dominated the competition at the Canada Games. Five of the six team members are BC Games alumni and contributed to three gold medals and a silver medal. Desirae Ridenour (Cowichan Bay) won gold in the individual competition as well as the women’s and mixed relay.

Team BC swimmers earned an impressive 52 medals in the pool and the top male and female swimmers are both BC Games alumni from Penticton. Tyler Wall won nine medals including three gold, three silver, and three bronze medals and teammate Acacia Benn won one gold and four silver medals. In the para swimming events, Arianna Hunsicker (Surrey) won five medals and Jesse Shade (Campbell River) had an impressive five golds in the Special Olympics events.

"We are extremely proud to see BC Games alumni making their mark on the national stage and contributing to Team BC’s success at the Canada Games," said Kelly Mann, President and CEO of the BC Games Society. "We will look forward to watching these athletes as they continue their pursuit of high performance sport and hopefully one day soon represent Canada at upcoming international Games."

At the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, 38 athletes on Team Canada had previously competed at the BC Games or for Team BC. Evan Dunfee (Richmond), is a 2004 BC Summer Games and 2007 Western Canada Summer Games alumnus. Emily Overholt (West Vancouver) won Olympic bronze in swimming is an alumnus of the 2010 BC Summer Games and the 2013 Canada Summer Games.

In 2018, the BC Games will celebrate 40 years of success in providing opportunities for athlete and community development. The 2018 BC Winter Games will take place in Kamloops and the 2018 BC Summer Games in the Cowichan Valley.